A CKTB host and national journalism fellowship recipient says he has been arrested and charged while reporting on the ongoing protests at a housing development near Caledonia.
Sean Vanderklis, co-host of One Dish One Mic, issued a statement yesterday saying his co-host Karl Dockstader was arrested and charged with mischief and failure to comply with a court order on Tuesday.
The release states the arrest came after Dockstader spent a week at '1492 Land Back Lane' while preparing a story for One Dish One Mic.
He believes a video he posted during his time at the site led to his arrest.
In the video he goes over his experiences during the week and says the people at the camp want peace.
The area has been a site of escalating tension between police and the protesters, who call themselves land defenders.
Protesters have been arrested, rail lines have been blocked, and police officials have confirmed a rubber bullet was fired during an altercation where OPP officials say rocks were thrown at officers.
The land is scheduled to be developed into more than 200 homes, but the land is part of the Haldimand Tract which granted the land to Indigenous communities in compensation for their alliance with British forces during the American Revolution.
When the developer bought the land they consulted with the town of Caledonia and the Six Nations elected council. The developer also gave the band 42 acres of land.
The courts have also granted injunctions to remove protesters from the site.
In a statement last month, Chief Mark Hill of the Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council encouraged all sides to engage in meaningful, peaceful dialogue. "I also encourage everyone in Ontario and across Canada to listen to the concerns of the Land Defenders, and to learn why the area of land under dispute holds so much cultural and emotional significance for many people in our community. The issues underpinning this crisis go much deeper and much further than this specific plot of land. It is the result of a colonial history that has silenced and oppressed generations of First Peoples."
The last live report from #1492LandBackLane by @KarlDockstader for this week. All people want here is to build a peaceful community on their land. It's been a week of stories, laughter, and songs. Why does it have to come to an end? pic.twitter.com/OTSugCKOqM
— One Dish One Mic - We now have a PATREON account (@OneDishOneMic) August 29, 2020
Earlier this year Dockstader and co-host Sean Vanderklis were named as the recipients of the CJF-CBC Indigenous Journalism Fellowships.